A Fateful Meeting?
by NaruNozoFiles
Summary: Naruto meets Nozomi, a cat girl with a serious attitude problem. The one shot that started the "NaruNozo Files" series.
1. Chapter 1

_So, here is the first of my **"NaruNozo Files"** story series! Each one will be uploaded as a separate fanfiction, as I tend to write the stories out of order, so uploading them all here would be confusing. This is actually an old story (I have been writing these since 2009) but I revised it a little bit with help from my beta and have decided to re-post the entire thing to this site, and will eventually upload the fanfics I am working on at this moment! If you like this and are interested in seeing more, please check my profile for a list of the other stories that are (or will soon be) available! Thank you! :)_

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**A Fateful Meeting?**

It was a bright, sunny day. Not a cloud was in the sky as a gentle breeze blew by every now and then. Birds were singing, and bees were buzzing to and from flowers, gathering pollen. Yes, it was a perfectly wonderful day, and everybody was happy.

Everybody, that is,except for the blond haired boy who sat beneath a tree on the outskirts of Konoha. One look at his bright orange and navy blue jacket, and his insanely spiky hair, you knew right away this kid was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, the boy who had the nine tailed fox spirit sealed inside of him. The same kid who also claimed he would one day be Hokage.

Said ninja let out a deep sigh as he glanced at the pale blue sky above. "Man, this is boring." he grumbled, "I should be training, not laying around like this!" He jumped to his feet. "Pervy Sage, where are you anyways?!" he shouted, shaking his fist at the sky. "Aren't you supposed to be helping me with my training?!" The blond haired boy let his shoulders sag slightly as nobody answered. Ok, so he hadn't actually _expected_ an answer, but still...

Naruto pumped a clenched fist into the air, a glint of determination in his eyes. "Ok, Pervy Sage! I know you're out there somewhere, and I'm gonna find you no matter _what_ it takes!" A drop of sweat trickled down the back of his head as a thought hit him. "Knowing _him_, he's probably doing 'research' for his dumb book! Hah..why'd I have to get stuck with HIM of all people?"

The blond shook his head as an undesirable mental image appeared in his mind, and he started to search for his teacher; the one who went by the Toad Sage, but had been dubbed the "Pervy Sage" by his younger student. As he ran on, Naruto glanced around him for any sign of the white haired Sannin. He found nothing of the sort, but this didn't discourage the young ninja. He just kept on looking.

"C'mon, Pervy Sage! Where _are_ you?!" Naruto growled under his breath, frowning as he came to the village gates. "You'd better be in the village!" He was about to take another step forward when he heard a loud thud.

"Eh?" Surprised, Naruto glanced around the area, searching for the source of the sound. Soon he got his answer as his gaze zeroed in on the form of a fallen girl. "Hey, girl, are you all right?!" he inquired loudly, hurrying over to her. He knelt down, examining her closely and sighed with relief when he saw she was still breathing. Now that he got a better look, he realized she must be about his age. He continued to observe her, his jaw going slack.

She was clothed in a black and green zip up dress, held on snuggly by a deep purple belt. On each side of her dress was a small slit, as well as a zip shut pocket. Her shoes were dark blue sandals, held on by a strap and a single gold buckle. Her medium brown hair fell just a little past her shoulders and her pale skin glistened in the sunlight, giving her a ghostly white complexion.

However, all this wasn't the cause for the look of amazement on Naruto's face. Oh, no. What he was staring at in awe was the fuzzy black cat ears and tail that were attached to the girl.

Naruto chuckled to himself as he put his hands on his head, wiggling his fingers together in an attempt to imitate the twitching of the girl's cat ears.

Almost as if sensing what he was doing, the girl's eyes fluttered open enough for her to see what was going on. "Who are you, and what do you want?" she asked in a small, timid sounding voice.

"Eh?" Naruto stopped what he was doing and glanced sheepishly at the girl. "Oh, you're awake!" he bellowed loudly, an enthusiastic grin plastered on his face. The girl winced, her ears flattening against her head.

"Oh, hehe, sorry." Naruto lowered his voice. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki and _you're_ the one who collapsed here, so I should be asking you that!"

The cat girl smirked at him as she sat up, and Naruto was able to see her eyes clearly. They were a golden tint with flecks of yellow in the center. "S-so, yeah..what's your name?" Naruto sputtered. Without meaning to he'd gotten caught up in the strange color of her eyes, nearly forgetting what he was talking about.

"What's it to you?" the girl replied, this time her voice coming out hard and threatening.

Her change of tone surprised Naruto, and he bristled, clenching his fists. "You could be a little nicer! I DID find you outside of Konoha! I could've turned you in as a spy, you know!"

"Konoha? What the...whatever. It doesn't matter anyways." The cat girl glanced away. "...The name's Nozomi."

"Nozomi...?" Naruto pressed impatiently.

The brunette heaved a sigh. "Just Nozomi." she said boredly.

"Ehh?" Naruto blinked at this, eyebrows raised in surprise. "You mean...you don't have a last name?!" he gawked. "How is that even possible? Do you guys not have last names in your village? Hey...where _are_ you from, anyways?"

Nozomi scowled at the babbling blond in response to his question. "Look, kid! My last name and where I come from are none of your business! Don't be stupid enough to ask me when you barely even KNOW me! Ya got that?!"

A drop of sweat rolled down Naruto's face as he recoiled slightly. He hadn't expected such an outburst from the cat girl. "Err..yeah, sure...got it." he mumbled in reply, frowning. How was he supposed to get to know her if everything made her lash out like that?

"Good." Nozomi muttered, rolling her eyes.

A long silence followed as neither Naruto nor Nozomi said a word.

"...Soo...what brings you to the Leaf Village, anyways?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence.

Nozomi blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Leaf Village? What?" she said.

"The Leaf Village!" Naruto repeated. "You know, the Village Hidden in the Leaves...Konoha. Any of that ring a bell?"

Nozomi just shook her head back and forth. "Sorry. Never heard of it." she mumbled. Then she got to her feet, grimacing**.**

"Hey Nozo, are you all right?" Naruto asked, beginning to look concerned.

Nozomi was about to answer, but at that moment, the boy's words sunk in, and she glared slightly. "**What** did you just call me?" she demanded, taking a menacing step toward him, her ears lowered.

"I called you Nozo." Naruto said cheerfully. However, his grin faded as he saw the look on her face, and he gulped. "..Is there something wrong with that?"

"**Don't** give me any nicknames!" Nozomi hissed coldly. "It's not as if we're friends!" She turned her back to him and crossed her arms in what Naruto guessed was annoyance. Her sudden movement caused a jingle to sound and Naruto tilted his head curiously.

"Eh?" He stepped in front of Nozomi and gave her a good examination, (which made her want to slap him) trying to locate the source. Soon her found it: a gold bell on a black strap, tied around her neck. Naruto winced and clutched his neck. The bell sure looked uncomfortable, being tied on so tight.

"Heh, nice bell." he said simply.

The only answer he got was a snort. "Gee...you could at _least_ say thank you, y'know." the young ninja grumbled.

"I'd rather not." the cat girl huffed.

"Why not?!" Naruto demanded, getting annoyed.

"Because...I HATE this bell with a passion." Nozomi muttered.

"What? Then why do you even wear it if you hate it so much?" Naruto questioned her. "Can't get it off? Cause if that's it, I could help you!"

"Look, just mind your own business, ok?!" Nozomi snarled.

Naruto just eyed her for a minute or two, a perplexed look on his face. "You know, you're kinda weird." he said bluntly.

"Your point?" Remarked Nozomi with another snort.

"What are you, anyways?" Naruto questioned, curiosity finally getting the better of him. "Are you somebody's pet cat? Wearing a bell that looks that much like a collar, I think you are! Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!" he teased, flicking the bell that was around her neck, causing it to jingle again and again.

Nozomi just rolled her eyes. She was used to being called "kitty" and the likes. This wasn't the _first_ time someone had done something like this to her. But usually when someone called her those names, she beat the crap out of them.

This time around, though, she was just too tired. Too weak. She'd traveled too much and eaten too little. Needless to say, Nozomi wasn't in the best health at the moment. To pick a fight with someone would practically be asking for death. This, Nozomi wouldn't particularly mind, however, she'd rather drop dead than lose in a fight with this kid. He infuriated her so!

The cat girl heaved a sigh and turned her back to Naruto (who was still going on with his teasing), plopping down onto the ground and letting her head hang, eyes shut in annoyance as she waited for the cat jokes to stop. Her eyes shot open a moment later, however, as she felt a sudden tingle go through her. "What the..?" She glanced sideways and snarled in annoyance as she saw the cause of the tingling sensation.

Sitting cross legged next to her was Naruto, and he was stroking her ears! "Does the kitty kitty Nozomi like having her ears stroked? Good kitty!" he teased, breaking into laughter as he saw the look Nozomi was giving him. "Hey, don't look so mad...How about a chin scratch?"

A drop of sweat ran down Nozomi's head, and she growled under her breath. "You do that...and you'll regret it." she threatened, trying to hold back the urge to purr. This was one thing she _really_ hated about her cat demon. SHE disliked being petted...but the feline in her ENJOYED it immensely! Of course, she didn't go around telling people like Naruto that. What Nozomi REALLY hated was that as hard as she was trying, she knew she wouldn't be able to contain herself for long.

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurr.

Naruto blinked in surprise. He stopped stroking Nozomi's ears and just stared at her, blue eyes wide.

Nozomi, in turn, blushed faintly and shot him a death glare that clearly said "You say ONE thing and I'll KILL you!"

For a minute, nobody said anything. It was completely silent as Naruto just stared open mouthed at the annoyed and blushing Nozomi. Then, a few seconds later, the boy threw his head back and laughed loudly.

"Ahahaha! Man, Nozo, you really _are_ a cat! I mean, c'mon, _purring_? Ahahahahaha!"

Nozomi growled, her eyes twitching in annoyance as her blush darkened. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was being laughed at! It was just so embarrassing!

Finally, her anger reached its limit, and before either of them realized what was happening, Nozomi lunged at him, clamping her jaws down on his hand, hard.

In response, Naruto screamed like a maniac, his eyes going wide with pain. "AHHH! What are you, CRAZY?! Let go!"

And Nozomi did. A few minutes later, she freed his hand from her jaws and turned away, a smirk on her face. "It's unfortunate what happened, yes, but you had that coming, kid."

Naruto scowled at her as he held onto his bitten hand. "What, can't you take a joke?! I was only messing with you! Apologize!"

"Hmmm...let me think..." Nozomi placed a hand on her chin, appearing to be deep in thought. "...No can do, kid."

"Yes! Hey, stop calling me kid already!" Naruto yelled, getting angrier. "My name's Naruto, and besides that, I'm the same age as you!"

"Whatever." Nozomi rolled her eyes as she once again got to her feet. "Well, it's been real, kid, but I gotta go now." she said over her shoulder.

"Hey, wait! Where are you going?! ...It's _Naruto_! Na-ru-to!" The blond ninja protested.

"I'm out of here." Nozomi said, ignoring him. "Later." She gave a slight wave as she began to walk away.

"Hey, wait!" Naruto yelled. "I'm not finished with you yet! Stay here!"

"Well, I'm finished with you." Nozomi said, trying to remain calm even though she was getting extremely ticked off. Who the heck was this kid that he thought he could treat her the way he had, then demand she stay like some stupid dog?!

"I won't let you leave. Not yet!" Naruto insisted, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Nozomi sighed and rubbed her temples. This kid was giving her such a headache! "Fine then, I guess there's no other choice!"

Before Naruto could figure out what she meant, Nozomi turned and, with amazing speed, slashed his hand with her claws.

"Yeow!" he cried, falling backward, holding his injured hand tightly to his chest.

The brunette just smirked at him. "See ya, kid."

"I already told you! You're not going anywhere!" Naruto growled, and grabbed the nearest part of her to him, which was her tail, and gave a rough jerk, stunning Nozomi. A wave of pain washed over her as she suddenly felt even weaker than she had before. The cat girl's eyes snapped shut, and she collapsed face first onto the ground.

Seeing this, Naruto's eyes bulged. He released her tail and hurried to her side. "Nozo? Hey Nozo, you all right?" he asked, shaking her.

When she didn't answer (or budge, for that matter), he panicked. "Oh man! I killed her! GAH! What do I do now?!" An idea hit him then, and he scooped Nozomi into his arms, then hurried into the village.

"SAKURA!"

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_That's all for now! I will be back soon with my next story, "Rainy Days and Ramen"! :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Well, I never thought I'd be updating this as it was originally a one shot but I decided there were a couple things I needed to address in the early days of Nozomi's history that could still technically fit under this story, so I will mark it as incomplete until I finish. There may be a third part, or there may not. I'm not sure yet...but there will definitely be other stories, aside from the other ones I've already posted! Btw, after doing the math it turns out I've been writing these for like...6 years. And I'm still not done...OTL_

_Oh well! I had a lot of fun writing this - I'm starting to get used to genin!Nozomi again. :D Thank you to my one reviewer, BlackBolt45, and the people who have followed me! I hope you all enjoy this next installment!  
_

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'_Where am I? It's so dark. Am I dreaming...?'_

_**Beep. Beep. Beep.**_

'_...What IS that?!'_

Nozomi's eyes fluttered open and she glanced around groggily. To her surprise, she was in a pristine, white room, tucked snugly in a small bed. It didn't take her long to realize that the beeping noises she'd heard before were from the various machines surrounding her.

The brunette sat up quickly, biting her lip hard as a stab of pain went through her wrist. Glancing down, she quickly realized the cause of the pain; an IV in her wrist, held on securely by a strip of clear tape. '_Wait...' _

With her other hand, she tore the sheets off her body and gasped when she realized that she was dressed in a simple, blue hospital gown. When- no- _who_ had changed her?! How on earth had she even gotten here?! The cat girl's eyes furrowed as she glanced around the room, looking for any other clues, and she inhaled sharply when she realized she was not alone.

Across the room, from the chair by the door, Naruto gave a small wave. "Hey." He smiled sheepishly, slowly getting up and approaching the girl's bed.

Memories from their previous meeting flooded her mind at the sight of him and Nozomi bristled. "You," she seethed, narrowing her eyes dangerously, her ears flat against her head, "_You _brought me here, didn't you?!"

Naruto gulped, rubbing the back of his head a little nervously as he stood awkwardly at the foot of the bed. "Err, well...yeah! I mean, I felt bad! You wouldn't wake up so I took you to Sakura and she said to take you to the hospital -so I did, and now you're getting better!"

The cat girl rubbed her forehead exasperatedly. Of all the places to have woken up...it just HAD to be a hospital. She hated doctors, she hated hospitals, and she hated feeling helpless!

The brunette raised one eyebrow, throwing Naruto a pointed look as he continued his jumbled explanation. Who the heck was this Sakura person? Though, if she were to be honest with herself, she didn't really care. All she knew was that somehow Naruto's rambling was upsetting her even more. Didn't that kid know a rhetorical question when he heard one?! She hadn't been asking him if he'd brought her- she KNEW it was him. Who else _could_ it be?

Realizing that he was still rambling, the girl took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright already, sheesh! I get it, just stop talking!"

To her relief, the blond shut his mouth, looking at her in wide eyed surprise. "...Geez...talk about _rude_." He grumbled, folding his arms and turning his gaze to the floor. "Would it _kill _you to be a little _nicer_? I DID save your life, you know!"

Nozomi blinked at the boy, staring at him for a long moment before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Saved my life, did you?" She snorted, giving an amused sigh. "It wasn't _that_ bad! You're making it sound emergency room worthy when all I did was pass out!"

"But, Nozomi-"

"Besides," Nozomi's amusement vanished almost immediately, her smirk replaced by a dark scowl. "Who said I WANTED any help, huh? You think I can't fend for myself? I was just fine before you came along, and I'll be just as well when I leave!"

"You're not going anywhere."

"Nya?" Nozomi looked up, startled by the voice, and sweat dropped as she noticed the woman with two blonde pigtails standing in the doorway. Why hadn't she sensed her earlier? "Who are you?!" Her surprise melted into frustration as the woman's words sunk in and she glared at her. "Oh? Just why the heck NOT?"

"My name is Tsunade," The woman introduced herself as she approached Nozomi, frowning slightly, "You are here because you're dehydrated." Nozomi's face fell as the woman gently pushed her back onto her pillow. "Look, if I let you leave it's only a matter of time before this happens again. Who's to say the next place you pass out at will be as willing to treat a complete stranger as we are?"

Nozomi sat back up stubbornly, shaking her head. "No way, you're crazy!" Giving a defiant look in the woman's direction, she jumped off the bed, ignoring the pull of the IV on her wrist. "I'll be just fine, just give me a chance! You'll see!"

Shaking her head, Tsunade just sighed. "Look, I can't just let you go. Not in your condition. You may think you're okay but not only are you dehydrated, but you have quite a few internal injuries." The shocked look on the young girl's face made her pause, and she frowned. "It's nothing serious -well, not yet- but if you don't rest those wounds could present bigger problems for you later. It would be much better in the long run if you just relaxed for a bit."

Nozomi gritted her teeth together, growling under her breath. "Why do you even care?! It's like you said- I'm a complete stranger." The brunette raised an eyebrow suspiciously, her eyes flashing with defiance as she glared across the room at Naruto, who shot her a small smile. "Why should my problems be any of your concern?!"

Tsunade facepalmed, overwhelmed by the girl's stubbornness. "I'm beginning to wish I _didn't_." She muttered before clearing her throat. "Nozomi, I'm getting sick of your attitude! Naruto was nice enough to bring you here and you're acting like it's some kind of punishment!"

Nozomi opened her mouth to retort but clamped it shut quickly. "How did you know my name?" She demanded. Before anybody could reply, however, she put two and two together, and she shot a dark glare at Naruto. "You're the one who told, aren't you?!" She snarled, fangs bared.

Unnerved by her tone, the spiky haired boy shrunk behind the older woman, giving a sheepish laugh. "Sorry- they needed a name to admit you into the hospital!" He hesitated, swallowing hard. "I-I didn't know your last name though, and they needed one to file you under so, uh...I used mine." As the scowl on her face grew darker, the boy threw his hands out in protest. "What?! It was the only thing I could think of at the time since YOU wouldn't tell me your REAL last name!"

A short laugh came from Tsunade as she shook her head. "I have to admit, I was wondering how the two of you could be related. At least now it makes sense. Of course, I will need the girl's true name so the database can be corrected." She picked up a clipboard off the small bed side table. "So then, Nozomi. Ready to tell the truth? Or would you rather remain an Uzumaki?" She turned back to Nozomi, who looked less than thrilled to be having this discussion.

'_Uzumaki? What the heck kind of name is that? No way would I ever take THAT name!'_ Sighing heavily, the brunette averted her gaze, folding her arms across her chest. "Kubota." She mumbled reluctantly, making both her visitors raise their eyebrows.

"Kubota Nozomi?" Tsunade repeated, smiling at the stiff nod she got in response and jotting the name onto her clipboard. "Good, now we're getting somewhere." She paused for a moment, writing something else down. "So, Nozomi. Where do you come from?"

Nozomi snorted loudly at the question and shook her head. "Where do I come from?" She laughed, shrugging her shoulders carelessly. "It's not important. Not like I can go back." She hesitated before hastily muttering, "Not that I ever _planned _to go back there."

Realizing that her home was a touchier subject than the last name, Tsunade let it drop. She'd do some research herself, and see if she could find any clans with the name 'Kubota'. The girl's obvious disdain toward her home had aroused her curiosity, and she couldn't help but wonder what had been so terrible about it to make someone as young as Nozomi leave.

Unfortunately, Naruto wasn't as willing to let the discussion go. "What? Why don't you wanna go back, Nozo-chan?" He frowned, confusion in his eyes. "Don't you think your family misses you?"

He was surprised when instead of berating him, the brunette looked at him, simply scoffing. "Nobody would ever miss _me_." Golden eyes averted to her hands, which she was wringing in her lap tensely as she softly mumbled, "They're probably GLAD I'm gone."

Something about the look on her face told Naruto all he needed and he shut his mouth, a pang of sadness tearing at his heart. Now he got it. She was alone, like him. No family -he assumed, by her lack of response- and no friends. The idea was almost too sad to bear, and he wanted nothing more than to help her through it - he knew how it felt to be the outcast.

He remembered all too well how he'd dealt with his loneliness, back before his ninja career began. Back then, he'd run amok, causing trouble for everyone in his path. It wasn't that he'd enjoyed seeing people mad at him. He'd just wanted to be noticed; even if that attention gave him a bad reputation. He'd gotten the attention he craved so much when he was finally given a chance to be a ninja on a real squad, with team mates who'd HAVE to acknowledge him. The mesh of different personalities had been a shock to his system, and he hadn't gotten off to the best start with his teammates. However, he'd soon learned to work through his differences with them, and they'd become friends; he'd finally come to really understand what it meant to be on a team.

A part of Naruto wondered if this girl had been judged for her appearance, (as defensive as she was about the cat features it would make sense!) but even he knew he was treading on thin ice, so he refrained from asking anymore questions. If the time was ever right, should he have the chance to talk with her one on one, he'd bring it up then.

Realizing the boy had stopped talking, Nozomi closed her eyes, a sigh of relief slipping from her lips. Maybe now she could relax. Mentally, at least. She still wanted to escape this terrible place as soon as possible.

"It's good to see you laying back at last, because you're not going to be allowed to leave anytime soon."

Just like that, all of Nozomi's hopes were dashed and her eyes flew open, landing on Tsunade. "Whaaaaat?! Why not?! If this is about the dehydration, I've been through plenty worse than this and come out on top every time, don't worry about me!"

"I'm sorry, Nozomi. That very well may be true, but I am the Hokage, and while you're here I'm responsible for you. I can't let you go with a clear conscience, knowing you're so run down." Tsunade shook her head, folding her arms.

"Look, I already told you I'm FINE!" Before anyone could stop her, Nozomi sat up, swung her legs over the bed side and stood up. To her surprise, the room began to spin, and she felt a rush of dizziness surge through her.

"Wait, don't!-" Naruto shouted as she started to sway. Quickly he jumped off his chair and lunged for the girl, catching her just as she began to pitch forward.

"Nyaaa…" The brunette just stared up at him, too dazed to say anything. When had he made clones of himself? She didn't remember three Narutos in the room before- only one!

"Nozomi…" Naruto looked down at the girl sadly. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault for not being careful earlier. If only I hadn't pulled your tail!"

Tsunade cleared her throat. "Naruto, the injuries I mentioned earlier have nothing to do with you. They are likely problems she's had for quite some time. This was simply the end of her endurance and her body is shutting down to try and heal itself."

"Oh, really? Aw, well, that's good." Naruto sighed in relief. After a moment of complete silence, he realized how he'd sounded and sweat dropped, a sheepish grin appearing on his face. "Not that it's good she's shutting down, it's just, I'm glad it's not because of anything I did!"

"It's fine, Naruto. I know what you meant." Tsunade responded.

"Okay, good." The boy gave a nod. "Well, anyways, if it'll help, once she gets released, she can stay with me until she is well enough to travel again."

"Well, Naruto, that's very nice of you, but I don't think-"

Before Tsunade could finish, Nozomi pushed him with new found strength, no longer in a daze. Losing his grip on the girl, Naruto stumbled back a little and frowned. "Hey! What was that for?!"

"I don't know how many times I have to keep saying this," The brunette ground out through gritted teeth, "but I don't need ANY help, nor do I want any!" She paused just long enough to glare at the two people. "If either of you tries to force anything on me I'll have to hurt you so just give it up already!"

"That's crazy talk, Nozo-chan!" Naruto shook his head, folding his arms loosely across his chest. "There's no way I'll give up...not when your health is concerned! Now get back into bed!"

"You're not the boss of me- you can't tell me what to do! Now get out of the way!" Nozomi stepped back slightly, desperation in her eyes as she swung her arm at him wildly. Luckily, Naruto had anticipated her movement and stepped back, her claws just barely grazing the fabric of his jacket.

"But Nozomi-you need to rest.." He whined and Nozomi scoffed at him.

"PLEASE. I'll be fine." She turned her back to him, focusing on trying to remove her IV so she could make a run for it, but at that moment a wave of nausea coupled with exhaustion overpowered her, and to her horror her knees buckled beneath her. The brunette squeezed her eyes shut tight and braced herself for the fall, but to her surprise, she never felt the cold ground.

"...Huh..?" Opening her eyes, Nozomi inhaled sharply, nearly choking in the process. She was pressed against a soft, orange and blue jacket, two arms wrapped securely around her waist, holding her bridal style against a firm chest. Glancing up, she felt her face burn in embarrassment as she locked eyes with the very boy she'd just threatened, and she hissed in shock. "What the heck are you trying to pull?!" She snarled, struggling to break free.

When the blond refused to let her down, smiling mischievously, she swallowed hard, biting her lip. "...What…?!"

"Nozomi, I think it's obvious that you're not well. You need to lay down." Naruto tightened his hold on the girl and she sighed heavily.

"Well then, I guess I have no choice." Before Naruto could even brace himself, the cat girl had raised her right hand and swiped her claws across his face.

Naruto screamed, finally letting her down as he staggered backward. "YEOW!" He gingerly touched the scratch mark on his right cheek and winced. "Why'd you DO that, Nozomi?! I'm only trying to help!"

"Well, I DID tell you not to help me, didn't I?"

"Okay, that's enough!" Tsunade shouted, finally fed up with the situation. She turned her attention to Naruto, who held the palm of his hand to his cheek. "Naruto, please wait out in the hall. I'll be out in a minute."

The look on her face told Naruto that there was no other option so he nodded and stepped out of the room, albeit reluctantly. As the door closed, he leaned his ear against it, trying to hear what was being said.

Tsunade sighed, fixing Nozomi with a look of pure disappointment. "Nozomi, that was completely uncalled for. He was just trying to help you, you know."

Nozomi eyed the woman pointedly. "Yes, I know but I seem to recall telling you both that I don't NEED any help. He refused to listen, so I had to teach him a lesson."

"That's ridiculous!" Tsunade exclaimed, eyes widening a fraction in disbelief. This girl must be more delusional than she'd initially thought! "You may think you're tough but the truth is you're still just a child, Nozomi. Believe it or not, there are things you _can't _do without help!"

Nozomi's eyes rolled upward and she turned her head away, folding her arms. "Hmph. Even if that were true, there's no way I'd ask for help from someone in a gaudy, orange jumpsuit!"

Tsunade bristled at the obvious attack, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she fought the urge to shove her fist into the girl's mouth to shut her up. She was already a patient; there was no reason for her to worsen the girl's condition. That would force her to remain a patient longer, and from the impression she got, Tsunade had a feeling that a prolonged stay would be just as hard on her as it would be on Nozomi.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she slowly unclenched her fists. "Nozomi, Naruto may be a little out there at times, but he has a good heart. It's not fair of you to judge him over such little things. Especially since nobody else would be willing to help someone who is consistently mouthing off and being as inconsiderate and childish as you. You should really appreciate the fact that he is being so generous when there is no reason for him to be."

Nozomi rolled her eyes again and scoffed at the woman, raising an eyebrow. "Look, I get it. He's a nice guy. I don't ASK him to be though, so don't be expecting me to be all grateful to someone I shouldn't have ever met to begin with. I just want to be left alone, end of story."

A drop of sweat ran down the back of Tsunade's head and she sighed heavily. This girl was too hard headed- there seemed to be no getting through to her! "Fine." She crossed her arms, staring hard at the brunette. "I'll see to it that you are left alone. I suggest you get comfortable, because you aren't leaving this room until you make a full recovery." She fixed the girl with a pointed stare as she noticed the look of protest on her face. "That's an ORDER, Nozomi."

Nozomi returned her stare with her own narrow eyed glare. "You're not the boss of me. Give me one good reason I should listen to you!"

Tsunade felt a vein pop in anger at the cat girl's impudence and she gritted her teeth, fighting the returning urge to send her patient through the wall. That wouldn't solve anything. It would only serve to cause more of a headache for her, and as far as Tsunade was concerned, she wanted this girl out of her care as soon as possible! "Maybe because I AM the one in charge of your life at the moment...so if you VALUE your life even a tiny bit, I'd suggest you shut up and do as I tell you to!"

"Yeah, well it's hardly a life _worth_ living, if you ask me." Nozomi muttered, sticking her tongue out at the older woman.

Tsunade waited for the rest of her retort, but to her (pleasant) surprise, the girl said nothing else, turning onto her side and closing her eyes with a disgruntled sigh. "Whatever."

Although her short response raised several questions in Tsunade's mind, she took this as her opportunity to excuse herself and opened the door to leave.

"Gah!-" Naruto stumbled backward, caught by surprise. He hadn't heard anything to give him reason to think the door would move, so he'd still been pressed against the door, eavesdropping. Now he realized he'd been busted, and he gave a cheeky grin in response to the older woman's questioning look.

"So...she's really gonna be okay?"

Tsunade sighed as her stare landed on the deep claw marks in his cheek and grimaced. "I'd be more concerned about _myself _if I were you. Let's go have a look at that."

The worst part about being in a hospital was time. Usually, the issue was not having enough time to do things. In Nozomi's case, however, she had too much time and too little to do. Once they'd learned of her attempted escape earlier, the hospital staff only allowed her to do things she could do from the comfort of her bed. This left her with little choice but to read, and the literature choices in the hospital were less than desirable, in Nozomi's opinion, so instead she'd found herself staring listlessly up at the ceiling, daydreaming. This was only able to keep her distracted for so long, however, and she grew more and more restless as the hours dragged by.

Every muscle in her body ached, a sign that what Tsunade had said earlier was true, but still. Nozomi wasn't one for sitting around waiting for things to get better. She would rather stay on the move, even if it delayed her healing. At least then she'd be able to ease the restlessness she felt.

For now, however, all she could do was lay around and wait. For what? Freedom, she supposed. Either when she'd recovered, or sooner, if she could drive Tsunade crazy enough. Though she sincerely doubted that anything she did at this point would be able to change the woman's mind. The whole situation had Nozomi more than a little baffled. Even after reminding them that she was a stranger they still seemed to care about her, for some reason. What did her health even mean to these people anyways?

A wistful sigh left the brunette's lips as she glanced to her left, where the sunlight streamed in through a small window. She longed to bask in the warmth of that sun again; the dingy, white walls and crisp, white sheets were serving to make her more than a little crazy, and she found herself wishing that something, anything would happen.

At that moment, the door knob twisted, and, as if life itself were mocking her, in walked the last person she wanted to see.

"Oh, you're awake, good!" Naruto beamed.

Nozomi tried to appear indifferent towards the boy, but she still found herself wincing inwardly as her gaze landed on the bandage that covered most of his right cheek. She must have done more damage than she'd thought. Though, as brightly as he was smiling, she never would have guessed if he were actually in pain or not. This thought irritated the cat girl for some reason, and she frowned at him.

"Why are you always so happy, anyways?" She demanded, folding her arms across her chest.

Naruto's smile never faltered, though his eyes lit up with curiosity and he tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean? Did you want me to be angry at you?"

"What-no! Ugh!" Nozomi facepalmed, sighing heavily. "What I mean is- HOW can you smile like that when I scratched you so bad? Doesn't it HURT?!"

"Oh, this?" Naruto gestured to the bandaid, and Nozomi nodded. "Oh, Nozo…" He broke into a fit of laughter, further irritating the cat girl.

"What's so funny?!" She demanded frustratedly. "Do you LIKE being hurt or something?!"

The blond laughed a little harder at that, hugging his sides for support and Nozomi sighed, waiting for him to stop. When he had calmed down enough to speak clearly, he looked at the brunette seriously. "This is really nothing, Nozomi. My friends have done much worse than this to me!"

'_So then, why does he call them friends at all?! This guy's too weird..' _A drop of sweat slid down the back of Nozomi's head and she gave a small, sheepish grin in response. "Oh, I see. That's...good then, I guess…?"

'_Gee, he really does try to see the best in every situation, doesn't he?' _

Naruto nodded, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah. Um...You know, Nozo-chan…" He hesitated, glancing down at the floor for a minute before looking back at the brunette. "You're kinda scary when you yell but...you have a nice smile." He beamed, his confidence growing as he noticed the stunned look on her face. "I mean it! You should really smile more!"

Nozomi opened her mouth to make a retort, but his words had surprised her more than she cared to admit, and all she could manage was a small, "Thanks, I guess."

"Hehe, no problem!" The blonde responded cheerily. "Anyways, I should go, it's about dinner time and I'm starving!" As if agreeing with him, the boy's stomach gurgled loudly, and he laughed. "S-see what I mean? I'll see you later, Nozo-chan!"

"Um-wait!-"

Nozomi held a hand out in protest, surprising not only the boy, but she herself, and stopping him in his tracks. He turned away from the door, looking at her. "What is it…?"

The brunette glanced down at her lap, exhaling softly. She couldn't believe she was doing this, and yet for some unknown reason, she felt obligated to. "I...know you were just trying to do something nice earlier. The only time people are nice to me is to lure me into a vulnerable state." She paused, realizing she was talking about herself too much and forced herself to get to the real issue. "I realize that you were genuinely trying to be nice, and I overreacted, so…" She trailed off as her tongue suddenly felt heavy; almost as if it were coated with a thick layer of sawdust. Why was this so hard?!

'_C'mon..just say it, you coward! Say you're sorry already!'_

Naruto tilted his head to the side curiously, his grin fading. "What is it?"

"What I'm trying to say is…." The brunette ground her teeth together frustratedly. It was too tough to admit that she'd been wrong. A wave of frustration surged through her and she threw herself back onto her pillow, groaning. "I shouldn't have scratched you! I'm just so messed up, I don't stop to think before I act and that always gets me in trouble!"

The smile returned full force to Naruto's face as he realized what she was trying to say, and he laughed a little. "It's okay, Nozomi. I forgive you." He replied warmly. Even if she hadn't actually said the words, he could tell she was being sincere. Why else would she be getting herself so worked up over something so little?

Standing there, mulling over what to say then, an idea hit him and he grinned. "Hey, Nozo-chan! Do you like ramen?"

The answer he got was a confused shrug of the cat girl's shoulders. "I've never tried it before." She said quietly, regarding him with mild interest. "What is it?"

"What?! Never had ramen before?! You poor girl!" Naruto gasped, a surprised look appearing on his face. He paused for a moment, thinking. "Well...I could tell you, I guess...but it would be better just to have you taste it for yourself!"

One thin, brown eyebrow rose upward as Nozomi eyed him, more than a little confused now. "But kid-Naruto," She corrected herself, noting the pointed look he shot her, "I can't leave this place, remember? How can I try it if I'm stuck here?"

"Oh yeah, that's right.." Naruto's face fell slightly and his eyes narrowed slightly as he thought hard. "Well then, I'll just bring you some myself! How's that sound?" Dropping his voice to a whisper, he added, smirking, "Besides, the food isn't that great here, trust me!"

Nozomi need not have answered, for he was already halfway out the door, calling over his shoulder. "You can thank me later!"

She sighed, closing her eyes. At least now it would be quiet for a while.

"Oi, Nozomi!"

Golden eyes opened wide in surprise and the cat girl blinked sleepily. He hadn't left?

Naruto chuckled at the questioning look on her face and winked. "You don't seem so messed up to me...I'm looking forward to getting to know you more, I think we'll have a lot of fun together once you're out of here!"

"Wait-" Nozomi's eyes widened and she started to sit up, shaking her head. "Naruto, I'm not staying-"

"Anyways, be right back, you're gonna love it, I promise!"

"But Naruto!"

The brunette groaned under her breath as he took off in a blur of orange and blue, and she sighed, laying back once again. She smacked the mattress with a balled up fist and closed her eyes tiredly.

She was beginning to get the feeling that leaving this place would be harder than she'd originally thought.

* * *

_That's it for now, unless I think of more to add to this particular story...so feel free to read the other stories on my account in the meantime, and I'll try to upload more soon! Any ideas and suggestions are welcome as well- if I like them they may just make their way into a story. _

_Please R&amp;R to tell me what you think, this is my first time posting a story here that is freshly written lol! :3_

_~NaruNozoFiles_


	3. Chapter 3

_Well, imagine that. This story got yet another part added to it...and I'm pretty certain at this point that there will be another part...Hope everyone enjoys it. Please do read and review, I appreciate any feedback on the story! _

* * *

"Are you serious? I can really go?" Nozomi gawked up at the nurse, unsure whether she should believe what she'd heard. This week had been one of the longest she'd ever endured, being cooped up in a small room. Sure, after some time she'd been allowed to walk, but it was only to keep her body active. However, she was still a patient, so the little bit of exercise meant nothing to the girl, who restlessly awaited her release.

Despite the fact that she was a stranger to Konoha, she was rarely ever left alone. Not just because of the nurses constantly bugging her, taking blood samples and checking her overall health, but also because of the daily visits from Uzumaki Naruto. For some reason the boy had insisted on hanging around every chance he got. Although he hadn't come right out and said it, Nozomi suspected that he felt bad for getting her stuck in this place. Whatever his reasons, the blond seemed perfectly content just sitting there, talking to her. Even her brash behavior had done little to discourage his return - a fact that had left Nozomi more than a little confused. She tried not to think about it too much, telling herself that he was just a lonely kid looking for attention. Why _else_ would anybody want someone like her around?

She'd been getting used to his visits (at least he could only stay so long before the nurses shooed him out so she could rest!), but then the boy had burst into the room with the news that she was allowed to walk again. Nozomi's excitement was short lived, as the blond went on to explain that she'd been permitted to walk around the halls. That meant she still had to stay in the hospital and her mood had soured almost immediately. Adding to her frustration, instead of leaving her alone to sulk, Naruto had announced that he'd accompany her on her walks, in case anything happened where she needed help. Just like that, her days had been monopolized by an over eager blond who was determined to help, even when she didn't need it. Over all, the week had been full of bossy nurses, less than amazing food and one overly enthusiastic boy.

"That's right, Kubota-san." The voice broke into her thoughts and Nozomi looked at the nurse, doing a slight double take. "Your vitals look good and your complexion is back to normal. You look much healthier now than you did before."

_'Did I really look that terrible?'_ Nozomi's brows knit together in confusion, and the nurse laughed gently.

"Anyways, please wait just a little longer. There is some paperwork you need to sign, and once that's done you'll be free to go."

Nozomi gave a nod and a small "Un!" as the nurse left the room.

A huge grin formed on the cat girl's face as she gazed around her room excitedly. Her gaze rest on the rays of light that streamed into the room through her window. Her ears perked as she heard the soft ruffling of wings, and a surprised gasp left her as a bird came to land on the window sill.

Nozomi scoffed as it tilted its head, eyeing her curiously. "Yeah, yeah, I'm different looking." She bared her fangs. "You got a problem with that?"

The bird cawed in reply before turning and jumping from its perch, its wings spreading out as it became airborne once more. Nozomi watched it enviously, wondering briefly if it had a destination, or if, like she herself, it was traveling aimlessly, searching for purpose. The brunette shook her head, clearing the thought from her mind almost as instantly as it had surfaced.

_'C'mon, that's just silly. That bird doesn't have any of the kinds of problems you do and you know it.'_ She rolled her eyes upward, glancing back toward the window as she heard the bird caw again, this time sounding more distant. _'Still, I wish someday I could be just as free as it is.'_

Nozomi glanced up at the clock in her room and thumped her fingers against the mattress impatiently. It had been over an hour since anybody had come in, and she'd lost track of how long it had been since her nurse mentioned the paperwork. All she knew for sure was that she was getting sick of waiting. What had happened to her getting discharged? Had they forgotten about her?

The brunette gritted her teeth, narrowing her eyes as her ears picked up at the click of heels passing her door. Why wasn't anybody coming to her room?! She resisted the urge to yell in frustration. _'Come back, I'm still waiting in here!'_

A few more moments of complete silence passed, agitating her further and she let out a long, drawn out groan. "They didn't _seriously_ forget me, did they?!"

The words had no sooner left her mouth than there was a knock on the door, and she looked up, startled. "Yes?" The door opened and a sigh of relief escaped her as she found herself looking at the nurse from before. "THERE you are," she muttered, allowing irritation to seep into her voice, "I thought you guys had forgotten about me!"

The nurse flashed an apologetic smile. "Of course not, Kubota-san. There are just a lot of patients today. Please forgive us." She held out a clipboard that contained several small stacks of papers, "Here are your discharge papers. If I can get your signature, you'll be free to go." She motioned to a few spots on the paperwork.

"Okay." Nozomi eagerly took the pen she offered and scribbled her name on the dotted lines as she'd been asked. When she was finished, she threw the pen down and gave a self satisfied little smirk. "So, can I go now?"

"According to hospital guidelines, you are free to go now," the nurse smiled. "Please just give me a moment to remove your IV."

"Alright!" Nozomi waited, squirming impatiently as the needle was removed from her wrist. She winced as her wound was exposed to the air and bit her lip, trying to hide her discomfort. Then, to her relief, the nurse produced a small bandaid from a drawer, placing it over the puncture mark. "There you go, you're all set." she said.

"Thanks." Nozomi glanced down at the bandage and gave a grateful smile before getting up from the bed. She located her clothes, folded up on the visitor's chair and snatched them up, heading into the small bathroom to change. A few minutes later, the door flew open and she burst back into the room. "Alright! I'm outta here!"

A smile spread across the nurse's face at the young girl's enthusiasm. "I've been asked to instruct you not to go far, Kubota-san. The Hokage wants to talk to you." The woman paused and looked up from the clipboard she was carrying. "...Kubota-san?" She glanced around, bewildered. When had the girl left and why hadn't she seen her go?

"..What a free spirit." A sigh escaped her lips as she began to clean the room, getting it prepared for whomever would need it next.

"Hahaha! I'm free!" Nozomi pumped her fist triumphantly as she ran down the streets of Konoha. Her glee was obvious, from the skip in her step to the way she jumped and spun in circles as she ran. Her behavior had earned her quite a few curious looks but she could care less. She was FINALLY out of the hospital! Now all she had to do was walk out the gates; Konoha no more than a distant memory in her heart.

_'It's almost too bad I didn't tell that Naruto guy goodbye.'_ She thought as she trotted at a brisk pace, observing her surroundings. She had just turned a corner when the village gates finally came into view and she grinned, her momentary pity for the Konoha boy vanishing. In its place rose determination and excitement as she quickened her pace. _'Oh well. He'll get over it in time.'_

This was it. All that stood between her and freedom was a single gate. The brunette smirked to herself as she made her way to the village. She'd gone through tougher obstacles before, this would be a breeze! Now she could continue on her journey.

_'...A journey to __**where**__ I don't know, but anywhere is better than that place I used to call home.'_ The brunette made a face at the thought as she continued on. She hadn't set even one foot out of the village when she heard a voice call out to her. "Nozomi! Nozomi waiiiit!"

"Oh no…" Nozomi grimaced, flattening her ears. "What does he want _now_?"

She watched, shoulders tensing up as the familiar spiky haired boy ran up to her and hunched over, hands on his knees as he panted hard. "Naruto? What's going on…?"

Naruto waited until he'd caught his breath to stand up straight, and he looked at her evenly. "That's what I want to know." He answered softly. "Nozomi, what are you doing?"

Nozomi raised an eyebrow at him, puzzled. "What am I doing?" She echoed, frowning at the boy, "I'm leaving, of course."

"What? Leaving?! But-but- why?!" The blond demanded, looking a little hurt. "I thought you were starting to like it here!"

Nozomi hesitated to answer, just staring at him. Despite the note of annoyance in his voice, she could detect a hint of sadness in it as well. Why did he care so much anyway? He'd told her that he had other friends. Why wasn't he with them right now instead of bothering a nobody like her? The brunette's gaze hardened before it shifted to the ground, and she kicked at a stray pebble in the dirt. "It's hard to judge a village when you're cooped up in a room all week."

Naruto smiled sheepishly at the unimpressed look on the girl's face and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh. W-well then, why don't you let me show you around, yeah?!" He grabbed the cat girl's wrist before she could protest, smiling. "Come on, just for a little bit, okay? Grandma Tsunade wants to talk to you, and she asked me to keep you company for the meanwhile."

A deflated sigh left Nozomi's lips as she slumped her shoulders, pulling out of the boy's grip. "Ugh, fine…" She mumbled boredly. "I'll stick around here and…." She broke off, realization sparking in her eyes. "Wait. Why can't I just go see her now, if she wants to talk to me?"

"Nozomi…" Naruto shook his head, an amused smile on his face. "Do you really think you're the only patient Grandma Tsunade had to take care of today?"

"What?" The girl's eyes rolled upward as his words sunk in and she shook her head quickly. "Of course not, but doesn't she have staff to help her? I mean, it's inconsiderate of her to ask me to stick around if she's busy - especially when she knows I'm raring to get going!"

Naruto frowned at the girl and folded his arms loosely across his chest. "Hey, about that...where are you going, anyways?" He asked seriously. "I mean, you seem so antsy to leave, you must have a place in mind, right?" There was a brief pause before he smacked a fist into his palm. "Oh! Maybe, did your time away make you lonely and you want to go home?"

"You've gotta be kidding me." Nozomi put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at the blond. "I meant it when I said I was never going back. As far as I'm concerned, I _have_ no home."

Naruto frowned sadly at her, his heart clenching painfully at the bitterness in her voice. "Well then, if that's the case...where _are_ you going?"

The brunette opened her mouth to answer, only to shut it again, averting her eyes to the ground. "Well….I'm not sure yet." She muttered, kicking the ground with frustration. "Just...just AWAY, I guess."

"Wait a minute.." Naruto's eyes hardened and he stepped a little closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Are you in some kind of trouble? You must be, why else would you be running away?"

"You wouldn't understand so just drop it!" Nozomi spat, something akin to panic lacing her voice. She frowned at his closeness, which she felt was way too close for comfort, and took a step back to put more distance between the two of them. "Besides, it's none of your business anyways, is it kid." The retort was a comment, not a question, but still Naruto found himself shaking his head slowly, frowning.

"No...I guess not…" He sounded hurt as he answered her. "I-I'll leave it alone, but...shouldn't we be on a name to name basis by now?" He paused, the hurt in his eyes obvious as he caught the look of indifference the cat girl was giving him. "Honestly, Nozomi, I sorta thought we were...kinda...you know…" He hesitated, searching her face for understanding and sighed, averting his gaze when he found nothing. "...Friends."

The cat girl's lips twitched upwards slightly in the smallest of smiles and she rolled her eyes again. This kid was too funny. He and her, friends? If anything they were just acquaintances at best. She HAD no friends. "Whatever you say, Naruto." She allowed a sigh to leave her as she stepped toward him, though she still kept a safe distance between them. "So, um...where are we going first?"

The blond's head shot back up and he stared at her for a long moment in silence, somewhat caught off guard by her sudden change in demeanor. This was just how she'd been the first time they met: cold and distant, wanting nothing to do with him or anybody, only to turn around the next minute acting somewhat timid, her behavior awkward, as if she were unsure of what action to take. It was as if she were an entirely different person. Was this just part of her personality or was it a quirk that came out when she got nervous? He figured it best not to mention it at this time and gave a big smile to the girl.

"Just follow me, I think you'll really like Konoha!" He turned away and began walking, pausing as he saw a building, an idea forming in his mind.

"Hey, why did you stop?"

Naruto glanced back at the cat girl, who was regarding him with mild interest and smiled. "It's nothing. Ne, Nozomi, how good is your chakra control?"

"It's okay, I guess." Nozomi responded, glancing disinterestedly at the claws on her fingers.

"Awright! We can take the scenic route then!" The boy bellowed, pumping his fist enthusiastically. "This is gonna be so much fun!"

"What are you even talking about?" Nozomi frowned, sweat dropping as she watched the blond run up the side of a building. Once he was at the top, he turned and grinned down at her mischievously.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Try to keep up!"

Her eyes widened at his challenge and the brunette shook her head vigorously. "You're kidding me, right? I can't climb that! I'll just walk!"

"Why not? I thought you said your chakra control was okay!"

"It's fine, I just don't feel like climbing, that's all!" Nozomi folded her arms across her chest, squinting up at him. "I'll be fine, just lead the way from up there."

The grin faded from Naruto's face and he pouted. "Aww, but that's no fun!" He slumped his shoulders, pouting for a moment. Then an idea hit him and he straightened up, shrugging. "Heh, guess I should have known you'd be scared!"

"What?!" Nozomi balled up her fists tightly, a vein popping as she shouted up at him. "I'm not scared!"

The spiky haired boy smirked, noticing the fury on the girl's face. "Man, what a fraidy cat!" He jeered, struggling not to laugh. "I guess that's why you have cat ears and a tail, right? Cause you're a fraidy cat!"

The girl's ears flattened against her head as she growled, her face growing redder with every word that left the boy's mouth. "I am NOT a fraidy cat!" She shouted angrily.

"Well then," Naruto folded his arms, laughing softly, "Prove it." He gave himself a mental pat on the back as he saw the look of outrage on the cat girl's face -she'd fallen for his trick!

Nozomi gritted her teeth together, ducking her head down so a shadow cast over her eyes. He was seriously challenging her now? Not only was she a little out of shape, after being on bedrest so long, but she wasn't the best at chakra control. She should have just told him that from the beginning, but some part of her didn't want the boy to know any more of her weaknesses. She really didn't know if she actually could climb that building. In spite of that, the way this guy was mocking her made her want to shut him up and prove him wrong...if luck decided to be on her side for once.

"FINE, I will!" She shouted, shutting her eyes tightly.

_'Okay, Nozomi, concentrate! You can do this!'_

The brunette lifted her head once more and ran toward the building, arms out at her sides.

_'I can do this...I HAVE to do this!'_

Her feet pounded against the ground and with one final push she was off, running up the side of the building. Nozomi allowed herself to revel in the moment. She'd actually done it; with what little training she'd had growing up, she'd managed to channel the chakra to her feet, and she was climbing a building! Her father would have been so proud! If only he could see her now.

The cat girl's steps faltered slightly and she gasped, feeling her control slip away.

_'No, no! Don't get distracted, focus!'_

Despite her valiant efforts to refocus, the brief distraction had done its damage. The chakra in her feet began to surge out of control, causing her not to stick to the building, but rather, to be repelled from its surface.

_'No! I was almost there!'_ Nozomi grimaced as she felt a rush of wind ruffle her hair and she twisted her body so she was falling face first. She squinted her eyes shut, waiting for the familiar impact of hard ground against her hands and feet. A sudden jerk caused her to stop in midair, and she glanced up curiously. To her surprise, Naruto crouched against the wall, an arm outstretched as he held tight to the hem of her dress. Oh, so _that_ was why she had stopped falling.

The blond grit his teeth together, knowing his own chakra control wouldn't hold out forever, and that the sooner they got to the roof the better. "Nozomi, give me your hand- I can't hold on much longer!"

The concern in his voice caught her off guard and the brunette reached out, gripping tightly to his hand as he pulled her up. After a few minutes of shuffling along awkwardly behind him, they made it to the top of the building, and Nozomi gasped for air. "That was...crazy…" She panted.

"I'll say!" Naruto sat down and frowned up at her, crossing his arms. "You should have _told_ me you didn't know how to control your chakra!"

His condescending tone agitated Nozomi and she stuck her tongue out at him. "I should have but you called me a fraidy cat and...I had to at least TRY!"

"Oh….yeah, I did do that." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, but at least I helped you in the end, right?" He allowed a snicker to escape. "I hate to see what would have happened if you'd tried that alone!"

A faint blush crept into Nozomi's cheeks as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll TELL you what would have happened- I'd have landed on my feet!"

"Uh huh. Really." Naruto stared at her with an "I don't believe that for a minute" look on his face, rolling his eyes.

"Look, it's true!" Nozomi threw her hands up in the air and sighed exasperatedly. "Look, whether I like it or not, I've got these...features…" she glanced away uncomfortably. "..but they do give me certain abilities from time to time. Landing on my feet is one of them."

"Really…?" The boy stared at her incredulously. "So...so does that mean that if I were to...I dunno, say push you off the roof right now...you'd land on your feet?"

"Exactly." Nozomi folded her arms across her chest, frowning as his words sunk in. "Hey, don't you dare do that though!"

Naruto laughed in response. "Oh, relax. I was just kidding!"

"Whatever." Nozomi grumbled unhappily. "Let's just go then, yeah?"

"Well you can't control your chakra and you're way too heavy for me to help you jump from roof to roof." Naruto shrugged, not noticing the icy glare he received. "Guess we'll have to walk after all." He turned toward the edge of the roof, then looked back, holding out a hand to the girl. "Do you need help getting down?"

"No way, I'm too heavy remember?" Nozomi snapped, slapping his hand away. "Just worry about yourself, I'll be fine."

"Suit yourself." Naruto frowned at the sudden change in her behavior but shrugged it off, hurrying down the building. When he'd reached the ground, he glanced up at Nozomi. "Come on, let's go!"

"I'm coming already! Sheesh!" Golden eyes scanned the building before spotting a small balcony a little ways down, and she pointed to it. "I'll be down shortly." Not giving the boy a chance to respond, she hurried along the roof, coming to a stop just above the balcony and jumping onto it. Then, with grace only a cat could have, she climbed the balcony rail, jumped off it and landed on the ground crouched on her hands and feet.

"Whoa, that was really cool!" Naruto exclaimed, awestruck as he ran up to her. "Ne, Nozomi, can you teach me?"

The brunette glanced at him coolly, before shaking her head. "No can do. This kind of thing requires certain...conditions to be met." She stood up straight and dusted herself off in a huff. She was still upset about his earlier comment, and even more annoyed that he didn't seem to realize what he'd done.

Still, Naruto refused to give up. "What kind of conditions? I'm sure I can meet them!"

Nozomi rolled her eyes irritatedly. "Forget it. Only a Kubota demon can do it." She muttered.

"...Kubota demon…? Wait…!" Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at her in shock. "Nozo...you're…?"

"Tch, what was your FIRST clue?" Nozomi scoffed bitterly, turning away. "Come on, let's go already."

"But wait, you don't understand!-"

"Just drop it, Naruto..."

"But I'm trying to tell you something important!-"

"I _said_ drop it, Naruto." The brunette said through clenched teeth, shaking her head and walking away. "I'm not in the mood to talk about it anymore."

Realizing that she was finished with the discussion, the blond sighed softly under his breath. He felt like he was beginning to understand her a little better. Nozomi had more or less admitted to being the host of some sort of demon. It certainly explained the random mood swings, and her refusal to disclose any details about where she had come from.

_'She must have had an awful time.'_ He thought sadly. He could relate to her far more than she knew. Maybe, if she ever gave him a chance, he could tell her his story, and then just maybe she'd see that there was hope; that there was a way to get out from under the shadow of her inner beast. Maybe she'd even let him help her, as he'd so badly wanted to since her arrival. That desire only intensified now that he knew just how similar she was to him. He could only wait for now, and hope that eventually she'd feel comfortable enough to tell him her story. She may not trust him right now, but he hoped that she'd open up to him eventually.

"Hey, are you coming or not?"

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts and flashed a sheepish smile as he realized the brunette stood several feet away, staring at him suspiciously. "Oh yeah, sorry!" He called out, running over to her. "So anyways, I was thinking first I could show you some of my favorite places here! C'mon!" Without waiting for her answer, he grabbed her hand and took off running, ignoring her shouts of protest.

"Oi! This is taking forever!" Nozomi slumped onto a bench and threw her head back exasperatedly, emitting a heavy sigh. She'd been on this crazy village tour for at least an hour, and still there'd been no word from the Hokage. "Has she just forgotten about me or something?!"

Sweat dropping, Naruto took a seat beside her and gave a small, reassuring grin. "Ne, I'm sure she's just busy. The hospital takes up a lot of her time. Not to mention she's the Hokage! She has a lot of paperwork and….just..other stuff to tend to." He shrugged. "She'll send for you when she's done."

"Well geez, at this rate that could be tomorrow!" The brunette grimaced, closing her eyes tightly. She'd had just about enough of this - she needed to get going already!

Naruto frowned, noting the impatient thump of her tail. "It won't take THAT long, just relax! Geez!" He still couldn't understand her haste to leave. It wasn't like she had anywhere she needed to be in particular - she'd said it herself!

To his surprise, the cat girl turned on him, her eyes flashing. "No, don't you tell me to relax! I'm practically the hostage of people who have no business even caring if I live or die! How do you expect me to RELAX in such a strange situation? That's not happening!"

Naruto's brows knitted together in frustration as he struggled to find the right words. "No, wait...Nozomi, calm down for a minute. Let's just talk about this calmly." He reached out to her, wincing as she swiped his hand away and jumped to her feet.

"I will NOT just sit back and relax, Naruto. I have things I have to do, and I can't just sit around here waiting forever for somebody who never even shows!" There was a certain finality to her voice as she edged away. "I'm out of here. Whether your Hokage likes it or not."

"What kind of things do you even have to take care of? I thought you said you had nowhere specific to be right now." Naruto stood up as well and faced her, waiting for her explanation. However, the brunette had other ideas. She took this moment to turn on her heel and bolt away, headed for the village gates.

_'Really? She's __**really**__ just gonna run away?!'_ Naruto face palmed in disbelief before bracing himself and running after her. If she thought he was just going to let her leave, she had another thought coming. He'd bring her back no matter what, even if he had to use force. After all, it was his mission, straight from the Hokage, and he had given her his word.

_Naruto sat upright in his chair, boredly looking around the Hokage's office. He'd become all too accustomed to sitting here, waiting for punishment from the Third. This was one of the few times he'd been called in by the Fifth, and since he hadn't gotten into any trouble lately, he couldn't help wondering what she wanted._

He didn't have to wait long, as the door opened and in walked the Hokage, her heels clicking lightly on the wooden floor. She took her seat behind the Hokage's desk and folded her hands on its surface, looking at him calmly. "Good, you made it."

"Of course, just like you asked, Grandma Tsunade. Um..." Naruto leaned forward in his seat, feeling impatience bubble up in him. He wanted to ask what he'd been called in for, but he wasn't sure how to begin.

"Judging by the look on your face, I'm assuming you have no idea what you're doing here."

"Well, yeah...I usually get called here for a lecture."

Tsunade smirked slightly at the somber look on his face, leaning forward in her chair. "Well, you're not in trouble this time."

With these words the blond visibly relaxed and she raised an eyebrow in amusement before clearing her throat, answering the question that burned in his eyes. "As for the reason I've called you here...As you know our guest, Kubota Nozomi is being released from the hospital today, and I want you to keep an eye on her." She paused, letting her words sink in for the boy before continuing. "I have a hunch that she will try to leave, and there are still things I need to discuss with her."

Naruto nodded in understanding, a big grin appearing on his face. "So you want me to keep her distracted then? I can do that. Believe it, there's no way she'll get out those gates on my watch!" The boy pumped a fist in the air excitedly and Tsunade resisted the urge to smile.

"Very good. You know more about her than anybody else at this time; should anything go wrong, I have faith you'll be able to take her down once again."

"Uh...yeah...I do know a weakness or two of hers." The blond rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, recalling how he'd accidentally knocked the cat girl out at their first meeting.

"Very good. So your mission, as I've said, is to keep her in Konoha until further notice." Tsunade nodded, confident that she'd picked the perfect candidate to keep Nozomi busy- there'd be no way she'd be able to leave undetected. "Dismissed."

_'That's right. I gave Grandma Tsunade my word, and Uzumaki Naruto never goes back on his word!'_ Naruto reminded himself, speeding up. _'I won't let her down. I'll bring that girl back no matter what!'_

Nozomi was out of shape. This much was obvious, because as hard as she was running, he was still easily catching up to her. Perhaps his determination outmatched her own, or maybe she hadn't really gotten as much exercise this week as she needed, and her muscles were weak. That, or maybe she just wasn't a fast runner to begin with.

Whatever the cause was, he soon passed her and came to a stop in front of the village gates, smirking at the brunette. "Just where do you think you're going?"

Nozomi scowled at his smirk and skidded to a halt just a few feet away from him. Didn't this guy ever quit? "Get out of the way, Naruto. I'm out of here."

"Ne, but I can't do that. Grandma Tsunade doesn't want you to leave yet."

The brunette clenched her teeth, her fists balling up at her sides. "Yeah well, she already had her chance to talk with me. I'm through waiting!" she insisted.

_'This is good, she's not moving anymore!'_ Naruto realized, staring at the girl. _'If I can just keep her busy long enough...maybe Grandma Tsunade will show up!'_

Shaking his head, the blond clicked his tongue. "Well, sorry to tell ya but I'm not allowed to let you go. You might as well just forget it, unless you _want_ me to chase you down and bring you back." He paused for a moment before adding, "We both know I'm stronger than you, kitty cat."

Nozomi's eyes widened and she stared at him in open mouthed disbelief. Oh no, he had NOT just gone there. He _had_, and to add insult to injury, he'd called her that stupid name! Snapping out of her shock, the brunette bared her fangs at him angrily. "What, are you calling me weak?!" She demanded.

A chuckle escaped the blond as he realized how worked up he'd already gotten her. It sure didn't take much to make her mad, did it? "I dunno," he shrugged nonchalantly, "it's just funny that someone claiming to be so independent and strong could be taken out by a tug on the tail!"

That did it. Now Nozomi was pissed, and seeing red as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Why you...I'd like to see how long YOU'D last if someone pulled YOUR tail!"

Her words made him laugh harder and he gave a toothy grin. "Hahaha, I don't HAVE a tail, Nozo!"

This only fueled the fire in Nozomi and she scowled darker at him. "No DUH." Lowering her head, she narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. "Get out of the way or I'll MAKE you."

She gave him no chance to respond, charging forward and barrelling head first into his chest. Naruto gasped sharply, the wind clearly knocked out of him as he reached for something- anything to keep him from falling back. He couldn't fall, otherwise she'd get past him and he'd fail the mission. That was something he couldn't bear to consider - not when the Hokage had trusted him so much! In spite of his efforts, he was losing to gravity and with one last desperate swipe, he managed to grip onto the collar of Nozomi's dress. Well, at least now she would go down with him. That would at least delay her some, right?

"GAH!"

Naruto grimaced as the back of his head connected with the ground, the impact doubled by the weight of the girl who'd fallen on top of him. The ache in his shoulder warned him not to take any more damage than he already had and he made a mental note to get it looked at later on. For now he had to keep this crazy feline under control.

The cat girl jerked backwards as she crouched on her hands and knees above him. She quickly realized that as long as he had a hold of her dress, escape was impossible, and she hissed in displeasure. "Naruto, let me go right now!" She swiped her claws at his hand, hoping to loosen his grasp enough for her to wiggle free.

"No. Not until you stop trying to leave." Naruto ground out, wincing as her claws scraped the skin from his knuckles. Still he held on, refusing to give up. She had to run out of energy sooner or later, didn't she? Gathering up all his strength, the blond lunged upward at her, trying to knock her off balance. This proved difficult as she quickly realized what he was trying to do and countered with her own attack. This went on for several minutes until finally one of Nozomi's knees slipped and she fell, making Naruto the victor. He quickly took advantage of her clumsiness to roll over so that he had her pinned beneath him. The brunette snarled angrily and thrashed wildly, but was nowhere near strong enough to knock him off balance the way he had done to her.

"Why you! Let me up!" She growled, trying to headbutt him.

By now, Naruto was tired of this fight. He pushed the girl's head back onto the ground, gritting his teeth to keep from crying out as she bit his finger. He was getting tired- a light sheen of sweat already coated his back and made his jacket stick to him in an uncomfortable way. The blond sighed heavily as the brunette swiped her claws at his face and jerked his head back enough to dodge before grabbing her hands and pinning them by her head. This girl was beginning to irritate him! Didn't she know when she was beaten?

"Nozomi, that's it-! Stop fighting- we're finished here!" He made his voice as commanding as possible, applying more pressure to her wrists as she arched her back, trying to throw him off her. When she realized this wasn't going to work, she gave up and heaved a heavy sigh, glaring silently at him.

Naruto sweat dropped slightly, averting his gaze. Geez, if looks could kill, he'd have been dead and buried! "Anyways," he cleared his throat, trying to regain the authoritative tone he'd had before, "I'm not going to let you up until you promise to stop running away. Understand?"

The only answer he got was a stiff nod, accompanied by that same, hateful look and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Nozo. I DID warn you this would happen." When she said nothing he swallowed nervously. "Okay...I'm gonna get up now. Don't run away okay? You promised, you know!"

Nozomi still said nothing, watching disdainfully as he stood up, letting go of her wrists. Then, against her protests, he helped her to her feet, and she scowled at him. In return he just smiled again, shrugging. "So, all that scuffle made me pretty hungry! Why don't we get something to eat?" He asked hopefully, glancing up behind them at a clock. "Maybe we could go to Ichiraku's!"

He frowned, realizing she was being really quiet, even for her, and turned back around to face her, eyes widening in disbelief. "HEY!"

The brunette said nothing, nor did she spare another glance over her shoulder as she tore out the gates of Konoha.

"Aww…!" Naruto watched the blur of black and green get further and further away, and he groaned. "I guess ramen will have to wait…"

Taking a deep breath he ran out the gates after the cat girl, determination in his eyes. "NOZOMI!"


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey, sorry for the long gap in between updates! Life has interfered with me writing this in more ways than I'd ever have imagined possible lately. I also had a bit of writer's block, which may be the reason some of this feels a little rushed; it still got the general idea across that I wanted to though, so I'm happy. :) _

_This is the conclusion of this particular story, so there will not be anymore updates to this one after. I hope everyone has enjoyed this. It's been great to add on to a story this old and fill in plot holes I hadn't noticed in the original, 2009 version. xD_

* * *

"How is it that everyday I have twice as much paperwork to go through as I did the day before?" The fifth Hokage grumbled under her breath, eying the mountainous stack of papers on her desk with a sigh. It wasn't like she didn't go through it daily and yet there seemed to always be more papers waiting for her the next morning.

_'Well, just staring at it won't change things at all.'_

Tsunade gave another resigned sigh and sat down, taking a sheet of paper from the top of the stack, her eyes scanning its contents before she signed it with her mark of approval. Shoving the paper aside, she moved onto the next item of business, grumbling softly to herself. Truthfully, when she'd taken the role of Hokage she hadn't expected much excitement, but she hadn't thought things would be THIS dull!

The blonde frowned and chewed at her lip, eying the drawer underneath her desk thoughtfully. If she could just get a few documents done she'd take a sake break, just to help her relax a little. She WAS the Hokage after all, so nobody should be able to tell her otherwise, right?

The thought of a nice sip of sake was too tempting and Tsunade pulled the drawer open while she scanned another document, her hand pawing around for her bottle. The feel of bare wood caused her eyes to widen and she jerked her eyes from the paper before her, gawking at the empty drawer where her sake usually lay in wait for her. She'd thought that nobody knew about that hiding spot! Obviously, she thought unhappily, she'd been wrong. But who could have taken her liquor? While the fact remained true that shinobi paraded in and out her door all day, only so many people actually stuck by her side for the day. The only one she could think of was a dark haired woman who carried a small, pink pig with her.

As if sensing Tsunade's thoughts, that exact woman poked her head into the room.

"Ah, Lady Tsunade, I have a message for you..." Her voice faltered as the woman slowly met her gaze with a scowl and a small drop of sweat slid down her head. "Um...Lady Tsunade...?" Her heart rate sped up as the woman looked up at her sharply, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Shizune, where is it?"

"Where's...what? I-I don't know what you're talking about!" The dark haired woman stammered nervously.

"I know it was you." Tsunade muttered darkly, an irritated vein popping on her forehead. "You're the only one who knows that I drink in here." She paused, fixing the dark haired girl with a steely glare and Shizune gulped, shifting her gaze to the floor. "Where is it, Shizune? Where's my sake?!"

Slowly Shizune stepped back towards the door, holding her hands out in protest. "Please, Lady Tsunade! We both know you won't get anything done if you get drunk -and it doesn't take much for you TO get drunk- and there's a LOT of work to get done today!" She gestured feebly to the mountainous stack of paperwork as she spoke. "I-I promise if you finish everything I'll put it back in the drawer so...please...listen this once, Lady Tsunade...?"

Heaving a heavy sigh, the Fifth Hokage slouched slightly in her seat, pouting. Shizune had never had a problem with her drinking as long as she got her work done, and she always did! Well...almost always. There had been that _one_ incident last week where she'd been too drunk to see straight. Could that be the cause for her assistant's behavior? How dare she interfere?! "How dare you, Shizune-!"

Realizing that her superior was not going to let this go easily, Shizune sagged her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade, but I had no choice! There is too much to get done today and that's partly because of how little you got done last week. This is the only way to ensure you'd get it all done this time."

So, this was because of that day. Tsunade's own memory of it was hazy at best. All she remembered was getting stressed and pulling out the sake. Apparently she'd gone through four bottles, becoming so disoriented she couldn't see straight, and Shizune had decided that she'd best take the day off. An extremely drunk Fifth Hokage had protested, saying that she was fine, only to fall from her chair at that exact moment. Still, that had only happened once, and as mentioned before, she'd been too overwhelmed not to seek the solace of her alcohol.

"Shizune, I appreciate your concern, but you're worrying over nothing. I have every intention of getting this work done, sake or no sake."

"Then I'll return it after you're done so you don't have to fight the temptation."

Groaning inwardly, Tsunade facepalmed lightly, still scowling at her assistant. "What exactly makes you think I'd have trouble with temptation, Shizune? I'm in here working,aren't I?"

Shizune shook her head. "Only because you don't have that sake in your hand." she paused briefly. "Honestly, the fact that you are asking for it back is proof enough that you can't handle the temptation, because if you had been focused on your work you never would have realized it was gone to begin with, right?"

The scowl on Tsunade's face gradually faded into a pout as she nodded reluctantly. "I guess so, but still. I'd be able to work easier if I knew it was in my drawer where it belongs.."

"Lady Tsunade, I'm sorry but I can't do that!"

Now Tsunade's patience was running thin and she stood abruptly from her chair, crossing the room until she stood in front of the other woman. "Why you-!"

Before Tsunade could finish, she was cut off by a muffled shout, followed by a thud against the door. The sound of a struggle was heard then, followed shortly by the door slamming open, and a brunette fell face first into the room.

"Naruto, you jerk, why'd you DO that?!" The girl snarled from the ground, narrowing her yellow eyes up at the boy who'd pushed her.

"Oh, PUH-LEASE- we both know you weren't gonna go in on your own!" The blond stuck his tongue out teasingly, eliciting a growl from the girl as he stepped into the Hokage's office. "Besides, we're only here because YOU won't stay put until Grandma Tsunade says you can leave! Grandma Tsunade, you'll never BELIEVE what she did-!"

Naruto looked up then and a drop of sweat slid down the back of his head as he noticed the startled look on both Tsunade and Shizune's faces (was that...relief in Shizune's eyes or was he imagining it? Just what the heck was going on here?!). The boy stepped back slightly and gulped, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry for interrupting, I..guess we should have knocked." He laughed awkwardly. "Um, Grandma..is this a bad time?"

Before Tsunade could even respond, words tumbled from Shizune's mouth. "D-don't be silly Naruto, you came at a perfect time see, I was already leaving -I have to go, um-feed Ton Ton!- so don't mind me!" The black haired woman flashed Naruto a grin in a silent thank you and made a mad dash out the door.

_'That coward! Hmph, I'll deal with her later, then.'_ Tsunade glared at the woman's retreating form before turning to Naruto. "Alright," She sighed, returning to her desk and sitting back down. "What's going on?" She paused before adding, "It had better be important for you to barge in like this!"

Nozomi scoffed as she got to her feet and brushed herself off, glowering at Naruto as he all but yelled, "It sure is Grandma Tsunade! Nozomi keeps trying to run away! She said she doesn't care if you want her here, even if you ARE the Hokage you're not the boss of her so she thinks she doesn't have to listen! She-!"

A clawed hand clamped over the blond's mouth at that moment, yellow eyes narrowing at him. "Would you be QUIET?!" the brunette hissed. She had also sensed the intense atmosphere when they'd barged in and while she was by no means afraid of Tsunade she got the feeling she still had best be careful.

"Oh she DOES, does she?" Tsunade frowned at the brunette, raising an eyebrow. "Nozomi, let him go."

Grumbling under her breath the cat girl released Naruto, shoving him away with a disdainful glare before turning her attention back to the Hokage. "Yeah, whatever." She muttered, rolling her eyes upward. "So let's just get this over with, yelling or whatever it is, I don't wanna waste anymore time."

If possible, Tsunade would have raised her brows higher. She'd hoped this wouldn't turn negative, but apparently this girl was determined to be a pain in the neck from the get go. Well, if that was how she wanted it then fine. She'd cut right to the chase. "Fine." Folding her hands together on the surface of her desk, she watched the girl coolly. "What were you trying to do? You already know that you are not to leave the village-"

"Yeah, yeah," Nozomi cut in huffily, waving her hand carelessly, "'Cause you want to talk to me about something or whatever. Well, if it's so urgent then what's the hold up? I don't appreciate being dragged all over the village while you sit here idly playing games with your assistant! I need to leave as soon as possible, so we're both here now...if it's so imperative that you talk to me before I go then go ahead, spit it out!"

Fine, if she really wanted to go there right now, then so be it. Tsunade clenched a fist tightly, trying to keep calm as she focused her thoughts. No matter how irritating Nozomi was, blowing up at her would only fuel the irrational disdain the brunette seemed to harbor towards her. Perhaps that was what Nozomi was hoping for, to give her an excuse to take off, and if that was the case she refused to risk playing into the girl's hands. She would simply have to remain calm, no matter what was said to her.

"Alright, if you insist, then we'll talk now." She gestured to a chair in front of her desk. "Go on, have a seat." She urged.

All she got in response was a skeptical look from the cat girl as she took the offered seat, eying her intently. "Well?"

"Um….hey, Grandma Tsunade. What about me?" Naruto raised his hand, not wanting to be forgotten.

"I haven't forgotten about you, Naruto." Tsunade frowned at the boy, pursing her lips. If she really wanted to talk without interruption, he'd have to leave, at least for the time being. The question was, how would she get him to? After a brief pause an idea struck her and she spoke. "Naruto, I want you to leave for right now."

"What?! BUT!-"

Tsunade shook her head, ignoring his protests as she went on. "As I said, I want you to leave for the moment. I need you to go and give Kakashi a message for me."

At her final words the blond stopped whining and tilted his head at her, resembling a confused puppy. "What message?" He frowned.

"This message." As quickly as she could, the Hokage produced a scroll and jotted down a quick note on it before rolling it up and holding it out to the confused boy. "It's important that he gets this as soon as possible." She paused. "I'd give it to him myself but obviously I'm a little busy at the moment... so I need you to track him down for me. It's a very important mission."

Naruto looked from the scroll to Tsunade, then at Nozomi before sighing unhappily. "Alright, fine!" He pouted, taking the scroll from the older woman's hand. "I'll give it to him and be back before you know it, that's a promise so don't talk too much without me!" With that, the boy turned and ran out of the office determinedly, and Tsunade sighed with relief. At least now they'd be able to talk privately for a few moments.

A snicker arose from Nozomi as she looked toward the open door that the blond had exited through. "That idiot doesn't even realize when he's being played, does he?" She smirked in amusement, glancing back at Tsunade, an eyebrow raised.

The Hokage regarded her calmly and shook her head. "Not true. I really did need him to deliver a message. The timing was just poor." She insisted.

The smirk faded from the cat girl's face and she shrugged disinterestedly. "Oh. Whatever, not like it's any of my concern anyways." She muttered. "So, let's talk already!"

Taking a deep breath, Tsunade began, watching the brunette carefully. "Since our last meeting, I've been doing a little research." She paused, noticing how the girl's face had darkened and she sighed. "Hey, you didn't give me much choice. You'd barely tell me anything, you know!" She sighed, rubbing her temples briefly. "Anyways, I discovered you're from a clan that was thought not to exist anymore. I'm not entirely certain what happened, but your ancestors had some sort of dispute with the Land of Fire. Something regarding certain clan members. Apparently the Kubota clan came to an agreement with the Land of Fire as to how to handle things, but...at that time the entire Kubota clan just up and vanished off the charts." She let her voice trail off, a thoughtful look on her face. "You are the first I've heard of from the clan since then...and judging by your...erm, appearance, I'd say you are one of those-"

"Go ahead, say it. I'm one of those demons." The cat girl's voice came out hard and unfriendly, her head lowered as she bared her fangs angrily.

Tsunade's eyes widened a fraction and she regarded the girl in surprise. "I was going to say you must be one of the specified clan members- what's this about you being a demon?" She felt her body tense involuntarily as the girl glanced up at her, eyes no longer yellow but a vibrant red.

"It's just as it sounds. The Kubotas are a cursed clan. Every new generation is born with at least one harboring an inner demon. That child is hated and ostracized until the day they are deemed unable to control their demonic powers."

Tsunade wasn't sure what surprised her more. The onslaught of information that she was receiving from the brunette or her dramatic change, not only in her eyes, but the tone of her voice. It had dropped to a thick, almost velvety slur. Was this the demon she'd spoken of?

"You're not Nozomi, are you." She stated, eying the girl calmly. "Who ARE you, exactly? Her demon?"

A harsh laugh wracked Nozomi's body and she gave a malicious grin, red eyes flashing with amusement. "How perceptive of you, of course I'd expect no less from someone claiming to be the leader of such a large village." There was a moment of silence as she stood up, flexing her claws anxiously. "You are correct. I AM the demon…"

As carefully as she could, Tsunade got up from her chair, never looking away from the the possessed Nozomi. This was dangerous. Not only was she alone in here, but she was with a demon who's powers were unknown by the Leaf. She'd have to be careful.

"So, you're the demon side of Nozomi."

A disgusted scowl replaced the creepy grin that stretched her face as the possessed girl shuddered. "Do not call me that! MY name is Kumoraku, and you'd be wise to remember that from now on!"

"...Kumoraku, huh. Well, it's not exactly a pleasure to meet you."

Kumoraku turned around at the new voice, eyes widening slightly as she noticed the silver haired man standing in the doorway, arms folded across his chest.

Ignoring the demon, Kakashi directed his attention to Tsunade. "I got your message, Lady Tsunade, but I never imagined that this was what you'd called me in for."

"To be honest, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind either." The older woman retorted, sighing. "Oh well, I'm just glad that this time you actually came when I asked you to."

"Yeah, this was a good day to show up on time." Kakashi replied. He glanced back behind him at Naruto, who was anxiously peeking around him. "Naruto, get back. This could get dangerous."

"Awww!" The spiky haired ninja groaned. "First Grandma Tsunade wouldn't let me stay and talk with her and Nozo-chan and now YOU won't let me stay! C'mon, I wanna help already!" Without waiting for an answer, the blond broke away and ran toward Nozomi, ignoring his sensei's orders to come back. "It's okay if I stay, isn't it Nozo-chan? There's nothing going on, right?!"

The brunette turned to look at him, and he skidded to a halt, swallowing nervously. His blue eyes widened, freezing as he looked into the eyes that didn't resemble Nozomi's at all. How… how was that possible? He was the only demon container that he knew of! He did vaguely recall Nozomi letting it slip that she had some kind of monster in her, but then...did that mean there were more like them out there? If so, how come he didn't know about them?! Questions clogged his mind one after another as he could feel the powerful chakra that exuded from this creature.

"Naruto, get back, that's not Nozomi!"

Naruto's head shot towards the Hokage's voice and he frowned at her. "Well YEAH, I KNOW that, I mean...look at her!" He motioned toward the creature and turned back to her. "What...no WHO the heck are you?! Are you Nozomi's demon?!"

The older woman inhaled sharply. So, Naruto had known all along, had he? Why was she surprised, really? Shouldn't demon containers be able to sense one another somehow? Having never been one, she had no clue, but still. It startled her to hear that he'd known all along. "Naruto, if you knew she had a demon in her why didn't you say anything?!" She demanded, frustration lacing her voice. If she'd known what she was up against sooner, she could have been better prepared for such a situation.

Naruto froze at the Fifth's words, briefly glancing back at her sheepishly. "Sorry, I wasn't positive at the time.." Apparently, Nozomi hadn't told her that fact about herself. Not that he had expected her to, what with her obvious disdain towards the woman. She'd only hinted at such a thing even to him, and while he'd felt something different emanating from her himself, he'd yet to see any proof until this moment. There was no way he could have warned anybody.

Frowning, Naruto took a step closer to the red eyed brunette, determined to be brave. "Let Nozomi go or I'll have to use force-"

Kumoraku regarded the blond with mild interest and scoffed, tsk-tsking. "You? What can YOU do? You're nothing but a little runt!" She smirked maliciously. "Besides, you do know that if you actually manage to hurt me, you'll be hurting the girl later on, right?"

Brows knit together frustratedly, the boy clenched his fists tight, his knuckles going white. It was true. If he used the Rasengan now, Nozomi would be the one in pain later on, since the demon was using her body. There wasn't anything he could do that wouldn't hurt the girl later. Even if she didn't think of him as a friend, he saw her as one, and he was determined to protect his friends...but how could he do that in this situation?

"Naruto, that's enough now." Kakashi's voice cut into his thoughts and he looked up to see the silver haired Jonin approaching him. "I told you to stay back. It's too dangerous for you to try to help, we don't know what this demon is capable of. I'll take care of it."

Before Naruto could respond to his teacher, another harsh laugh escaped the demon. Turning her attention to Kakashi, the possessed Nozomi gave a devilish grin. "Come now, there is nothing that needs to be taken care of at this moment. I've only been given temporary control to extend a warning to your little Hokage."

The smirk on her face grew wider as she returned her focus to the older woman and she narrowed her eyes, pointing one clawed finger in her direction. "You. I don't know what you're up to, poking your nose into Kubota history, but you can just forget any notions you may have of helping this girl. I can personally promise that anyone she gets close to will only suffer along with her. You're better off casting her out as her own family has."

"That's enough of that."

Kumoraku scowled as the silver haired Jonin stepped back into her line of sight, blocking Tsunade from her view. Fixing her with a hard glare, he clutched the left side of his headband. "What is decided to do with Nozomi has nothing to do with you. Give her back control or I'll be forced to send you back where you came."

"Have you not been listening? She LET me out, you fool!" The brunette shouted incredulously, snickering. "She's already forcing me out of control -as I said, this was simply a warning!" As she spoke, Tsunade noticed the color of her eyes flickering back to their unusually natural yellow. "However, mark my words. I WILL be back, and things will be different next time."

Slowly the brunette's eyes fluttered shut and she fell back into the chair.

The room fell silent as everyone watched her, wondering if Kumoraku had truly gone back to...wherever it was that she was kept. Of course, the silence became too much for the impatient Naruto who'd been forced to stand by and watch the whole conversation between the demon and his teacher, and he raced over to the brunette yet again.

"Nozomi, are you alright? C'mon, say something already!" He demanded, shaking the cat girl's shoulders firmly.

"Naruto, get back!" Tsunade ordered, watching the boy with disbelief. "Just because she's unconscious does not mean she's back to normal! It could be a trick!"

"What are you talking about, Grandma Tsunade? Of COURSE she's herself again, you saw her eyes change, didn't you?!" Naruto glanced back over his shoulder, only to jerk his head back to Nozomi as he heard a groan. "Nozomi!"

Slowly, the brunette's eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room, appearing to be in a daze. "What happened…?"

"What HAPPENED?!" Naruto echoed in disbelief, his voice causing her ears to flatten against her head. "Your demon was out here acting all spooky and stuff. Are you saying you really don't remember that…?"

_'Naruto, you're too naive sometimes...'_ Kakashi thought, shaking his head. With a soft sigh he turned his attention to Tsunade once more. "Well, now that that's all done, why don't we get down to business?"

"Agreed." Tsunade nodded and resumed her position behind the desk, glancing over at Nozomi. "Well, now that you're back, let's continue our little chat, shall we?" She glanced over at Kakashi, urging him forward. "You too, we all need to have a talk."

"Wait…" Nozomi frowned at the woman, jumping up from her chair. "You STILL wanna talk about my clan history after what just happened with Kumoraku?!"

"Ah HA!" Naruto crowed victoriously, grinning at the brunette. "So you _do_ remember what happened!"

With a roll of her eyes, the brunette gritted her teeth and looked away. "Just shut up!"

"Enough, already!" Tsunade muttered, rubbing her temple exasperatedly. Why couldn't these two ever get along? Frowning, she returned her attention to the cat girl. "Well, Nozomi. I've just had an interesting conversation with your demon."

"And now you want me to leave, for your village's safety, right?" Nozomi jumped to her feet hastily, watching the woman with impatience.

"Was that what you were hoping would happen when you let her take control? Sit down, Nozomi."

The girl bristled, clenching her hands and gritting her teeth. She couldn't do anything else but sit down, moodily crossing her arms as she tried to think of another way out of this mess. Was this lady that stupid? Any other village would've kicked her out by now! Didn't she care about her villagers' safety from someone like herself? "I was hoping you'd realize the _truth_. Wouldn't it be better to get me out of your hair now before it's too late?" She sneered.

Tsunade ignored her attitude, lacing her fingers together. "Back to what I was saying, Nozomi, do you have any idea why your clan is cursed? Or the exact events that took place for the curse to arise?"

"Is that what you wanted to talk about all this time?" Nozomi rolled her eyes upward in annoyance. "Look, I'm just a kid! Why the heck would I know ANYTHING about this?! If it's 'cause of how I look, I have news for you! I may have been born this way but nobody ever told me WHY!" Sticking her tongue out in disdain, she narrowed her eyes at the Hokage. "So then...is that it? Are you done harassing me yet, old hag?"

"Old….hag…?!"

Whatever self control Tsunade had been exercising up till that point flew out the window as she glowered at Nozomi, her patience finally exhausted. "Now listen here you little punk, I've had just about all I can take of your attitude! The only reason we're even doing this is because of YOU-" she pointed a finger at the brunette, making her flinch slightly- "and your refusal to obey a simple order!"

There was a brief pause as she broke off, turning her attention to Kakashi, who was standing behind Nozomi's chair listening intently. "I can't keep taking time out of my busy schedule to play hide and seek with some sniveling little brat...I leave her to you from now on, Kakashi!"

Nozomi's eyes widened as she gawked at this response. "Wait, WHAT?!" She shrieked, standing up so quickly her chair teetered behind her until Kakashi steadied it. "You can't be SERIOUS! This is against the rules! I don't belong to this village or any village. You can't keep me here!"

Taking a deep breath, Tsunade fought to regain her composure, folding her hands tensely together as she spoke. "It's simple. Nozomi," she turned her glare to the brunette once more, "since you can't stay put until I'm done with your background check, you will be assigned to a ninja squad. Team 7, to be exact." Returning her attention to the silver haired Jonin, Tsunade continued. "She will fill the void that Sasuke created for the time being. Train her as one of your own and make sure you know where she is at all times. She is by no means allowed to leave Konoha until I say. Got it?"

"Understood." Kakashi gave a nod and bowed before turning his attention to Nozomi. "So, looks like it's up to me to make you shape up." He patted her shoulder, amused when Nozomi knocked his hand off with a fierce growl. _'This should be interesting.'_

Naruto, who until now had just been listening intently, suddenly let out a loud cheer. "Wait...Nozomi's gonna be on our team…? AWRIGHT!" He whooped, throwing a fist into the air. "Now you can finally learn proper chakra control, eh Nozo?"

Although she felt her face heat up the mention of her poor chakra control, Nozomi ignored the boy, her eyes filled with fury as she stared in disbelief at the Hokage. "You have GOT to be kidding me! Why the heck would you make ME a ninja?! Do you WANT Kumoraku to kill you?! Why would you train a demon?!"

"It's the best way to keep an eye on you for now. Besides, your demon doesn't scare me." Tsunade responded tiredly, rubbing her forehead. Shizune had better return her sake to her soon. She was in serious need of a good drink right about now! Heaving a sigh, she ignored the slew of protests that were pouring from the cat girl's mouth and leaned back in her chair. "Dismissed."

"Well, let's go then." Kakashi muttered, looking at his two students. "I'll have to call a team meeting and introduce you to everyone, but for now we should probably start you on some basic training...if what Naruto said about your chakra control is true."

"Yeah, we'll train you up real good!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically.

Jumping up from her chair, Nozomi growled at Tsunade, fists balled up at her sides. "No way, you can't dismiss me, this is far from over! You need to LISTEN to me!" She made a lunge for the woman but was stopped as Kakashi grabbed the collar of her shirt, holding her back. "What the?!- Let me go, old man!"

Kakashi glanced at Tsunade and the woman gave a simple nod in response. Turning his attention to Naruto he steered Nozomi towards the door, ignoring the fight she was putting up. "Let's go. We're going to need to find Sakura before we get started."

"Yaaaaaay!" The blond cheered, running up beside them. "This is gonna be so much fun, Nozomi! You'll love it, I promise!"

"Wait- No!" Nozomi's feet slid against the ground as she was dragged out of the office unwillingly. "Guys! NO! I don't want anything to do with this-let me goooooo!"

The brunette's wailing voice was muffled as the door clicked shut behind her, and Tsunade sat back in her chair, closing her eyes. What had she gotten herself into exactly? She wasn't entirely sure, and she knew that Kakashi must resent her right now for making him take charge of the girl but there was no better option. With his Sharingan, he'd be able to counter anything she may throw at him. Not only that, but he had Naruto with him, who was also a demon container. Despite how different he was from their new teammate, they were very much the same, and Tsunade was sure that if anybody could help the girl relax and learn to accept herself, it was him. After all, Naruto was just one of those people that had a gift for making people change and realize the truth about themselves, be that a good thing or a bad thing. Surely he'd be able to help Nozomi.

Opening her eyes, the blonde glanced down at her desk thoughtfully. She should really get to work if she wanted to get out of here anytime soon. Maybe after a drink…

Her eyes widened then as she recalled the missing sake bottle, and she jumped up from her chair, tearing out of the office. "Shizune!"

* * *

_Thanks again for reading everyone! Hope to see you again in the next installment of "NaruNozo Files"!_


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